Abstract

The present review highlights the evidence obtained so far with respect to the neural correlates of meditation and human spirituality. In particular, we review cognitive neuroscience studies related to heterogeneous populations: individuals experts in spiritual and meditative practices, naïve subjects evaluated with self-report or implicit measures of spirituality, and neuropsychological patients with acquired neurological disorders. The basic human experience of spirituality is characterized by specific patterns of brain activation and has major implications for the individual health. Further studies in the cognitive neuroscience of spirituality may thus have useful implications not only at the theoretical level, but also in clinical and therapeutic practice.